Beflecting-signal or advertising medium



J. J. FITZGERALD AND A. H. BARNES. REFLECTING SIGNAL 0R ADVERTISING MEDIUM. APPLICATION HL'ED MAY 22. 1918.

1,3 1 PatentedSept. 9,1919.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J'. FITZGERALD, DE LOS ANGELES, AND ALFRED H. BARNES, OF GLENDALE,

CALIFORNIA.

REFLEGTING-SIGNAL 0R ADVERTISING MEDIUM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 9, 1919.

Application filed May 22, 1918. Serial No. 236,019.

United States, residing, respectively, at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, and at Glendale, county of Los Angeles, State of California, have jointly invented new and useful Improve ments in Reflecting-Signals or Advertising Mediums, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to road signals and advertising means, and has for its object to provide improved means of this character, which may be located along road-ways or adjacent thereto and in such positions as to receive rays of light emanatin from vehicle headlights or other sources 0 illumination, and capable of utilizing such rays to display a signal or advertising or kindred matter. While the invention is more specifically directed at improved road signals, it contemplates a wide range of adaptations and uses, for advertising and kindred purposes, and has to do with any device, mechanlsm or apparatus capable of receiving light rays and utilizing the same to render visible some sign, warning, insignia, device, symbol or the like for any purpose of utility, attractiveness or amusement or advertising.

The invention has for its object to provide improved means of the character stated which will be superior in point of relative simplicity and inexpensiveness of construction and organization, taken in connection with durability, length of life, adaptabilityto varying conditions in use and service, reliability in action, and facility in use, which will be generally superior in efficiency and serviceability.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel use, provision, construction, combination, formation. association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as hereinafter described, shown in-the drawing, and finally pointed out in claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating the method of use of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a View upon an enlarged scale of means embodying the invention and mount ed upon a suitable support; and,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken upon line v -41! of Fig. 2. I

The corresponding parts in all the figures are designated by the same reference characters.

Referring with particularity to the drawing, the device shown therein as embodying and containing the invention, in one form, comprises a reflector 4, a transparent plate or lens 5, forward of the reflector and provided with symbols or readings or devices 6, 7 and 8, and light-ray-modifying means 9 (or 10 in dotted lines), which serves to color or re-color rays of light received through the lens or transparent plate 5, so as to cause the rays resultantly projected through the transparent plate 5 from the reflector 4 to assume a certain color at variance with that of the rays passed first through the transparent plate 5 from the outside. The reflector 4 may be parabolic and is mounted within a housing 4 secured upon a standard 11 in turn supported upon a base or post 12 to which it may be detachably secured by bolts or the like 13, and the means 9 may consist of a curved or rounded protruding metal body fitted into the reflector 4 and having a painted or otherwise colored outer surface. The transparent plate 5 is extended across the reflecting zone of the reflector 4, and spaced forwardly ofthe means 9, being held in place by a suitable rim 14 fitted to such reflector in any suitable manner. The means 10 shown in dotted lines may be used in substitution for the means 9 and may consist ofan ordinary incandescent lamp bulb, colored or inclosed in or covered by colored textile or other material, so that a headlight or reflecting electric lamp,with its reflector, incandescent bulb and glass plate may be utilized in practising the invention, as will operation of the device, but merely as a means for presenting'a ray-coloring surface to lightrays directed to it from the exterior I of the device. In that case, and in any case, the symbols, readings or the like, such as6, 7 and 8 of any suitable nature, are added or supplied to the transparent glass plate or lens 5, so that the rays projected inwardly of the device, and modified by the means 9 or 10 or the like, are caused, in outward projection from the reflector 4, to limn or outline the s mbols or readings 6, 7 or 8 or the like, an cause the same to stand out boldly and in relief and in clearly distinguishable or readable resentation. To that end, it is not essentia to the broad aspects of the invention that the means 9 or 10 or the like be employed. Unaltered light rays maybe utilized to cause the outlining of the symbols 6, '7 and 8 or the like, and still the invention be employed with valuable and advantageous results.

The advantages, method of use and attributes of the invention will be readily perceived and understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and the following statement:

As indicated in Fig. 1 in which A designates an automobile with its headlights a, being operated along a road-way B beside which means embodying the invention are indicated as mounted at a turn, the light rays projected from the headlights of the automobile are passed through the lens or transparent plate 5 and reflected back by the reflector 4, after being modified in color by the means 9 or 10, and in so being reflected back outline or limn the symbols or readings 6, 7 and 8, which stand out in bold relief, indicating to the driver of the automobile that there is danger ahead, due to a pronounced S-curve, and that thewarning device is installed by the automobile association, the symbol of which is likewise displayed. Thus no source of illumination is required in and by the danger signal itself which is operated perfectly and reliably by the borrowed rays of the lamps of the automobile.

It will be evident that many modifications of the organization may be made and employed, in adapting the invention to varying conditions and classes and kinds of use and. service, both for practical purposes, danger signals or advertising, etc., without departing from the true spirit of the invention Having thus disclosed our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A reflecting signal operated by light rays received from an exterior source and including a substantially parabolic reflector having the central portion thereof cut away, a transparent plate extending across the front of the reflector, signal characters upon the transparent plate, and a ray coloring device arranged within the cut away central portion of the reflector, said reflector receiving rays from an exterior source of light in front of the transparent plate and reflecting them back through the plate to bring the signal characters thereon into relief.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN J. FITZGERALD. ALFRED H. BARNES. Witnesses:

J. SHU'rr, WILLIS S. MITCHELL. 

